With three playoff teams from last year and a team that should be better, the NFC North is shaping up to be one of the most competitive divisions in the NFL this year. The timing of divisional games, interlaced with circumstances that can't be known or controlled, stands to be impactful for the Minnesota Vikings and the rest of the division.
With the full 2025 NFL schedule now released, we now know when the Vikings will be taking on the Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, and Green Bay Packers next season.
Some of Minnesota's NFC North matchups will be featured in a national spotlight, while others are expected to have significant stakes attached to them, especially when they end the 2025 season against the Packers.
Minnesota Vikings set up to potentially ruin Green Bay Packers season in Week 18
The NFL has tried to curb teams resting players in the final game of the regular season by making the entire slate for the week division matchups. Resting players still happens, as some playoff-bound teams naturally have nothing at stake in terms of seeding, but it's less prevalent than it used to be. So, mission pretty much accomplished.
With Week 18 division games in mind, this season's schedule has the Vikings wrapping up their season on their home field inside U.S. Bank Stadium against Green Bay.
This NFC North matchup will likely have a lot on the line. A win by one team could end the other's season, or, as Minnesota experienced in 2024, put the loser of the contest on the road for the Wild-Card round of the postseason despite having a better record than most of the other NFC playoff teams.
Ideally, Week 18 won't be all that consequential for the Vikings. But if beating the Packers would negatively impact them, you can bet Minnesota head coach Kevin O'Connell will not be resting his starters.